First, the Governor General has no real need in our system. The Governor General is the Queen's representative in Canada. Why does the Queen still have involvement in Canada? Canada is supposed to be an independant country. The Queen should not have influence over our country. And on top of it, $20 million of our tax dollars go to the Governor General every year for his or her budget.

Second, the Governor General has the power to dismiss the Prime Minister. If the Governor General is the Queen's representative, it means the Queen can order the Governor General to dismiss the Prime Minister. That shouldn't be allowed.

I think its about time we grow up and break off our ties with the Queen.

Finder

#2

Re: Get rid of the Governor General

Apr 23rd, 2006

I am a moderate Republican and even though I am not offended by having a GG as the posistion has almost no power, I still would rather replace it with a democratic posistion. Though I'd also not mind if we kept the name and the attachments to the British empire, in name only of course.

FiveParadox

Liberal

#3

Re: Get rid of the Governor General

Apr 23rd, 2006

Quote: Originally Posted by JonB2004

Why do we need the Governor General?

The Prime Minister of Canada, and the other agents of our Parliament of Canada in its legislature, do not have the time, the energy, or the capacity to "inspire" Canadians. When a Governor General of Canada visits a base for the Armed Forces, I would suggest that they are visited someone to whom they can all serve. With a partisan Prime Minister, however, some members are going to shun the head of government. A Prime Minister's visit isn't going to boost everyone's morale. There's no getting around that. No elected representative has the time to promote our culture or our arts — so, our Governor General takes on this vital task.

Quote: Originally Posted by JonB2004

First, the Governor General has no real need in our system. The Governor General is the Queen's representative in Canada. Why does the Queen still have involvement in Canada? Canada is supposed to be an independant country. The Queen should not have influence over our country. And on top of it, $20 million of our tax dollars go to the Governor General every year for his or her budget.

I would suggest that we do, in fact, need the Governor General. Yes, Her Majesty the Queen is represented in Canada; however, she is also a representative of the Canadian people (as she has made quite clear during the first few months of what has been, in my opinion, a smashingly successful term). I would suggest that we need to have someone who is above partisan politics, to mediate where necessary (God forbit such a situation ever arise, however, where her reserve powers would need to be exercised to save our democracy).

Quote: Originally Posted by JonB2004

Second, the Governor General has the power to dismiss the Prime Minister. If the Governor General is the Queen's representative, it means the Queen can order the Governor General to dismiss the Prime Minister. That shouldn't be allowed.

Of course the Governor General has this right; however, I would urge you to look to our friend, the Commonwealth of Australia, was unable to pass a budget through both Houses — however, the Prime Minister of Australia, at the time, refused to resign, or to take any substantive action to meet the financial obligations of the Government. The Governor General of Australia had no choice but to dismiss the Prime Minister outright to remedy the very serious situation that had developed. It should be noted that when the Governor General consulted the Queen, she refused to advise him, on the basis that she should not interfere in Australian affairs.

Only once has a Governor General in our history ever had to use his or her reserve powers. In 1925, the late Right Honourable William Lyon Mackenzie King¹ faced a vote of non-confidence from the opposition (he had a minority government); however, instead of permitting the House to vote on the motion, he attempted to ask the Governor General to dissolve the House of Commons immediately, so as to prevent the defeat of his government. The Governor General, thinking that a Government should not be permitted to "run" from a want of confidence, refused Mackenzie's request — and in doing so, forced the Prime Minister to resign. The Governor General, the late Right Honourable Lord Vismount Byng of Vimy, appointed the Leader of the Opposition to govern temporarily. This was an entirely appropriate use of reserved powers, and had nothing to do with Her Majesty the Queen of Canada.

Quote: Originally Posted by JonB2004

I think its about time we grow up and break off our ties with the Queen.

We have grown up, and we've done so alongside the Queen of Canada.

Revision : (1) Corrected a formatting error.

jimmoyer

#4

RE: Get rid of the Governor General

Apr 23rd, 2006

I kind of like your Governor General institution.

It has great potential.

I also think some day your provinces will want
equal representation in an upper chamber like
the US Senate.

Daz_Hockey

#5

RE: Get rid of the Govern

Apr 23rd, 2006

I have a feeling old blackleaf might have an opinion on this

Sassylassie

#6

Re: Get rid of the Governor General

Apr 23rd, 2006

Five wrote: We have grown up, and we've done so alongside the Queen of Canada. You tell em lad.

missile

Conservative

#7

Re: Get rid of the Governor General

Apr 23rd, 2006

Let's keep the GG and get rid of the Fraser Institute instead

Finder

#8

Re: Get rid of the Governor General

Apr 23rd, 2006

You like the Queen so much Fiveparadox why don't you go marry her! (always wanted to say that to five)

Re: Get rid of the Governor General

Apr 23rd, 2006

Ya, get rid of both of them. The GG, the Queen and the rest of the sorry *** lazy royal family. You want a "uniter", elect one. you want tradition, you don't need the Queen to have tradition. You're in the new world. Act like it.

I hope Said1 doesn't read this

FiveParadox

Liberal

#15

RE: Get rid of the Governor General

Apr 23rd, 2006

I would suggest, I think not, that no duly elected person can ever truly become a "uniter" (there are those who would have voted against such a person and, therefore, the only people united are going to be those who had voted for the victor). The entire point of having a Governor General of Canada in modern times is to have someone who can represent Canada for Canada, not for a party.

I think not

#16

Re: Get rid of the Governor General

Apr 23rd, 2006

Well I know some of you here like the Queen and the rest that comes with her. And I realize you claim she has "no real powers" and is just a figurehead, and I agree, she is a figurehead, because she chooses not to invoke her powers, BUT, she can if she wants to, and that's the point. If you want somebody across the pond to have that kind of power, fine with me, but I wouldn't stand for it. I'd scream day and night if I had too.

FiveParadox

Liberal

#17

RE: Get rid of the Governor General

Apr 23rd, 2006

It makes me more comfortable, to be honest, I think not, knowing that there are certain powers in place to protect Canada if the need were ever to arise (Re: Prime Minister goes insane and orders mass deportation of non-whites, for example).

I think not

#18

Re: Get rid of the Governor General

Apr 23rd, 2006

You can replace that with checks and balances, which you currently lack. You are in effect, counting on the fact Her Majesty will not go insane. If I were 80 and haven't had sex in a decade or two, I'd be pretty dam cranky. Enough to deport en masse.

FiveParadox

Liberal

#19

RE: Get rid of the Governor General

Apr 23rd, 2006

I dunno. Since most of her powers are exercised through our Governor General of Canada, I wouldn't worry too much. Michaëlle's pretty, I'm sure she gets it when she wants it. O_o

jimmoyer

#20

RE: Get rid of the Governor General

Apr 23rd, 2006

Hugh Hefner at 80 still has sexual congress.

I think not

#21

Re: RE: Get rid of the Governor General

Apr 23rd, 2006

Quote: Originally Posted by FiveParadox

I dunno. Since most of her powers are exercised through our Governor General of Canada, I wouldn't worry too much. Michaëlle's pretty, I'm sure she gets it when she wants it. O_o

The bottom line Five, is that she can be replaced with any other form of government or system. Her purpose has become traditonal in nature (and perhaps identity). And that's how I think it is. I don't see any issues of procedure or "guarding" anything. You can do that by other means.

FiveParadox

Liberal

#22

RE: Get rid of the Governor General

Apr 23rd, 2006

But why replace what works?

Finder

#23

Re: Get rid of the Governor General

Apr 23rd, 2006

Quote: Originally Posted by I think not

You can replace that with checks and balances, which you currently lack. You are in effect, counting on the fact Her Majesty will not go insane. If I were 80 and haven't had sex in a decade or two, I'd be pretty dam cranky. Enough to deport en masse.

Yo remember everything I said early today.. forget about it. I like you again. lmao. Thats what I'd like to see... not a 80 year old women have sex but working checks and balances

Five, I know we disagree a little on this issue, but an unelected leader is not a uniter but a dictator in the most primitive sence of the world. Also then why don't we just randomly chose the figure head of canada... like a lotto or something then by that logic you'd get the same results and it would be a lot more democratic. lol

btw I think u and the queen would be nice together... think about the tea time you two could share

Finder

#24

Re: RE: Get rid of the Governor General

Apr 23rd, 2006

Quote: Originally Posted by FiveParadox

But why replace what works?

works? how? what does the GG do, the posistion is broken it's suppoed to be a check to the PM but because of how it's chosen it has no real power. It's broken and needs to be fixed one way or another

FiveParadox

Liberal

#25

RE: Get rid of the Governor General

Apr 23rd, 2006

I wonder if Her Majesty would be at all shocked if she discovered that we had both been staring at the hot server's bottom.

I think not

#26

Re: Get rid of the Governor General

Apr 23rd, 2006

Like I said, and I'll repeat it. The Crown and everything else that goes with it, I tend to see as being tradition and indentity. You should replace her, because whereas she doesn't invoke her powers, that doesn't mean she cannot.

FiveParadox

Liberal

#27

RE: Get rid of the Governor General

Apr 23rd, 2006

However, Finder, however the situation should be remedied, I don't think we need to abolish the Canadian Monarchy to do that. I don't think we need to discontinue recognizing Her Majesty Elizabeth II as the Queen of Canada just because we want to change the selection process for the Governor General of Canada. I think that perhaps some members here are oversimplifying the situation.

Finder

#28

Re: RE: Get rid of the Governor General

Apr 23rd, 2006

Quote: Originally Posted by FiveParadox

I wonder if Her Majesty would be at all shocked if she discovered that we had both been staring at the hot server's bottom.

come on, I know you think the Queen is hot Five... you have some sort of affection for her. You are like her biggest defeader here.

Finder

#29

Re: RE: Get rid of the Governor General

Apr 23rd, 2006

Quote: Originally Posted by FiveParadox

However, Finder, however the situation should be remedied, I don't think we need to abolish the Canadian Monarchy to do that. I don't think we need to discontinue recognizing Her Majesty Elizabeth II as the Queen of Canada just because we want to change the selection process for the Governor General of Canada. I think that perhaps some members here are oversimplifying the situation.

True we have pretty much agreed on ways to solve the situation. But the current system is not working, and should be fixed and thats why I said one way or another. As I said I'm a moderate, Democratic Republican and willing to work within the facade of monarchy as we do now, but at least make the actually workings of government work and not have 2 out of the 3 sections of government totally nerfed and broken.

FiveParadox

Liberal

#30

RE: Get rid of the Governor General

Apr 23rd, 2006

Perhaps, then, we should amend the Constitution Act, 1867 to respect our tradition, heritage and the place of the Canadian Monarchy in Canada, while ensuring that the Queen of Canada cannot take sweeping action on her own initiative. Perhaps one could look to the constitution used in Japan, where His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Akihito is recognized as the head of state and as a symbol of unity among the Japanese people, but simultaneously recognizes that he no longer has the authority to govern?

We could issue new Letters Patent to ensure that while executive power is vested in the Queen (as the Constitution specifies), she herself is the embodiment of the Crown, and cannot take initiative on her own person to take action on behalf of the Government of Canada. What do you think?